# XI. Competence

### Part 11 — Proof of Competence (PoC)

#### 11.1 Purpose, Scope, and Non-Executing Boundary

11.1.1 **PoC as privilege-gating for evidence work.** Proof of Competence (PoC) is the platform’s privilege-gating standard for participation in higher-trust Guild operations (review, release, stewardship, controlled dissemination). PoC is not licensure, not professional certification, not employment qualification, and not a regulatory compliance determination.\
11.1.2 **What PoC does and does not authorize.** PoC authorizes only platform-scoped privileges via record-valid role markers (e.g., access to review queues, release gates, steward functions) and never creates external authority, delegated power, or any right to act on behalf of GCRI or any jurisdiction.\
11.1.3 **Voluntary participation baseline.** Pursuing PoC is optional. Members may remain Observers or Contributors without pursuing PoC above PoC0, subject to handling and conduct rules. No member is compelled to test, serve, review, publish, or accept any role.\
11.1.4 **Relationship to ILAs, CRS, iVRS, badges, handling classes, and roles.** PoC uses ILA evidence objects as inputs; CRS contributes performance footprints; iVRS reports aggregate integrity metrics; badges are scoped trust surfaces; handling classes define information exposure; role markers implement PoC-granted privileges with scope/expiry/revocation.\
11.1.5 **Reliance bounds for PoC.** PoC is a competence signal only, valid within defined scope, time, and handling class. PoC states are expiry-bound, correctionable, and revocable by record. PoC must never be represented as “certified by GCRI” in any compliance or regulatory sense.

***

#### 11.2 PoC System Architecture (Levels, Lanes, and Signals)

11.2.1 **PoC levels and intended privileges.** PoC is structured from PoC0 through PoC5. Each level corresponds to a privilege envelope (contribute → review → release → steward → stop-the-line) implemented by role markers that are scoped, time-boxed, and revocable.\
11.2.2 **Domain PoC vs integrity PoC.** Domain PoC demonstrates competence in a subject area (e.g., water, energy, cyber/outage). Integrity PoC demonstrates competence in governance-critical duties (handling, COI, neutrality, correction discipline, stop-the-line). Both may be required for sensitive roles.\
11.2.3 **Handling-aware PoC.** PoC is handling-class aware. Competence is assessed separately for Public-Safe work, Controlled work (distribution-logged), and Restricted work (need-to-know, stronger access controls). Privileges cannot exceed the handling competence evidenced.\
11.2.4 **Role-specific PoC requirements.** Reviewer, steward, publisher, trainer, moderator, and incident-role markers each require explicit PoC level minima, plus track-specific prerequisites (e.g., distribution log literacy for Controlled lanes).\
11.2.5 **PoC portability rules.** PoC portability across Guilds and Platforms is permitted only under the equivalent-or-stronger handling rule, with lead-of-record anchoring to a Home Lab/Guild for rotation integrity and anti-gaming controls.\
11.2.6 **Revocation and downgrade mechanics.** PoC privileges are revoked or downgraded only by record, with reason codes, due process where applicable, emergency holds where necessary, and correction/supersession discipline for changed rules.

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#### 11.3 PoC0 — Orientation and Baseline Conduct Eligibility (Mandatory Only for Contribution)

11.3.1 **Orientation scope.** PoC0 covers the non-executing perimeter, misrepresentation prohibitions, handling discipline, neutrality and political-safety posture, protected participation, and core platform rules (record-validity, no silent edits, correction clocks).\
11.3.2 **Baseline attestations.** PoC0 includes binding attestations for COI disclosure baseline, protected participation/anti-retaliation, non-agency/non-employment, non-endorsement, and procurement/competition hygiene.\
11.3.3 **Minimum safe participation skills.** PoC0 confirms ability to participate without doxxing, harassment, coercion, procurement steering, collusive coordination, or unsafe disclosure; members acknowledge reporting channels and stop-the-line behavior.\
11.3.4 **Completion record and expiry.** PoC0 completion is recorded with an effective date and expiry/refresh triggers, including material rule changes, incident participation, or repeated conduct concerns.\
11.3.5 **Fail/hold conditions.** PoC0 may be held or denied based on lawful access constraints, sanctions/export controls, credible abuse signals, impersonation, or repeated handling misconduct.

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#### 11.4 PoC1 — Contributor Competence (Evidence Hygiene)

11.4.1 **Contribution standards.** PoC1 requires demonstrated ability to produce evidence-grade contributions: provenance notes, method cards, explicit assumptions, limitations, uncertainty disclosure, and correct citation/lineage hygiene.\
11.4.2 **Reproducibility minimums.** Where applicable, PoC1 includes reproducibility minima: replay steps, environment notes, parameter disclosure, and version pinning sufficient for peer replication in the intended lane.\
11.4.3 **Safe publication basics.** PoC1 includes dual-use awareness, redaction/abstraction fundamentals, operator-safe language norms, and escalation triggers for infrastructure/cyber/market sensitivity.\
11.4.4 **Tooling and workspace discipline.** PoC1 includes issue tracking hygiene, versioning discipline, record completeness, and respectful review engagement; off-platform “side channels” cannot substitute for platform records.\
11.4.5 **Assessment evidence.** PoC1 is granted based on an artifact portfolio and peer validation: at least one contribution with structured limitations and one replication-aligned improvement or documentation enhancement, reviewed by rotated peers.\
11.4.6 **Privileges unlocked.** PoC1 unlocks contribution lanes, basic co-authoring privileges, limited tagging/triage actions, and eligibility to join time-boxed CCells under supervision, subject to handling constraints.

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#### 11.5 PoC2 — Reviewer Competence (Peer Review Under Scrutiny)

11.5.1 **Review ethics and recusals.** PoC2 requires demonstrated adherence to review ethics: COI disclosure, recusal triggers, confidentiality/handling survival duties, and refusal of sponsor/vendor influence attempts.\
11.5.2 **Review rubrics and reason-coding.** PoC2 includes ability to apply standard rubrics, provide reason-coded outcomes, distinguish major/minor issues, and preserve dissent (including minority report triggers).\
11.5.3 **Handling discipline for review materials.** PoC2 requires handling literacy: no-forward posture, distribution logging where required, controlled-room conduct, and minimization in comments (no leakage of restricted content).\
11.5.4 **Anti-gaming and sybil resistance.** PoC2 includes rotation compliance, calibration participation, anomaly awareness, and refusal of reciprocal-review arrangements or cartel behavior.\
11.5.5 **Safety and market/public sensitivity recognition.** PoC2 requires recognition of escalation triggers for dual-use, targeting cues, market sensitivity, rights harms, and mis/disinformation risks, including routing to safety gate lanes.\
11.5.6 **Privileges unlocked.** PoC2 unlocks eligibility for reviewer rotation pools, access to defined review queues, and authority to issue non-final recommendations and structured contestation inputs, never final release authority.

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#### 11.6 PoC3 — Publisher/Release Competence (Record-Valid Release Discipline)

11.6.1 **Release gate mechanics.** PoC3 requires competence in readiness states, release checklists, sign-off patterns, and record-valid publication workflow (including which acts require explicit record entries).\
11.6.2 **Limitations and reliance bounds.** PoC3 requires consistent inclusion of limitation statements, intended/non-intended use, uncertainty disclosures, expiry dates, and correction pathways as mandatory fields of any release.\
11.6.3 **Correction/supersession readiness.** PoC3 requires demonstrated ability to manage errata windows, supersession records, and deprecations; no silent edits, no stealth retractions, and redistribution reconciliation where feasible.\
11.6.4 **Handling election for releases.** PoC3 requires competence in selecting Public-Safe vs Controlled/Restricted release posture, including staged release patterns and safe summary defaults.\
11.6.5 **Distribution log requirements.** For Controlled/Restricted releases, PoC3 requires competence in distribution logging (who received what, under what handling, with expiry and revocation tracking).\
11.6.6 **Privileges unlocked.** PoC3 unlocks publication privileges within defined lanes, ability to initiate correction records, ability to propose badges subject to review/safety gates, and ability to manage release metadata by record.

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#### 11.7 PoC4 — Steward/Coordinator Competence (CCells, Clinics, and Cross-Guild Work)

11.7.1 **CCell formation and dissolution discipline.** PoC4 requires competence to form CCells by record (scope, timebox, deliverables, steward-of-record, handling election, COI plan) and dissolve by default with archival and publication routing.\
11.7.2 **Cross-Guild routing and lead-of-record.** PoC4 requires competence to manage cross-Guild work with lead-Guild designation, no double counting of contributions, contestation lanes, and anti-capture controls.\
11.7.3 **Convening safety basics.** PoC4 requires safe-meeting script adherence, competition/procurement hygiene, identity minimization practices, minutes minimization, and correct routing of sensitive disputes to Stewardship.\
11.7.4 **Incident-adjacent evidence capture.** PoC4 includes evidence capture competence for incident learning (timelines, logs, impact statements) while maintaining the non-executing boundary (no operational directives).\
11.7.5 **Governance escalation pathways.** PoC4 requires proper escalation to Domain Councils, Stewardship Committee, or Trustees when safety, capture, or integrity triggers arise, with recorded reason codes.\
11.7.6 **Privileges unlocked.** PoC4 unlocks steward role markers, ability to manage workspaces, run clinics within defined rules, coordinate review queues, and propose CERT formations subject to authorization-by-record.

***

#### 11.8 PoC5 — Integrity and Controlled Dissemination Competence (Stop-the-Line Authority)

11.8.1 **Purpose and non-delegable nature.** PoC5 is the highest integrity competence level, enabling stop-the-line actions for safety and integrity only. PoC5 authority is non-delegable, scope-limited, and never used to force policy outcomes, suppress dissent, or create operational directives.\
11.8.2 **Stop-the-line triggers.** PoC5 competence includes recognition and action on triggers: dual-use weaponization risk, infrastructure targeting cues, exploit enablement, market sensitivity/MNPI risks, rights harms, doxxing/retaliation risk, leak indicators, and systemic integrity breaches.\
11.8.3 **Temporary holds with expiry.** PoC5 holders may place temporary holds that must include reason codes, expiry times, reopen conditions, and appeal routing. Indefinite silent holds are prohibited.\
11.8.4 **Controlled dissemination competence.** PoC5 includes competence in partitioning, staged release, safe summary design, controlled appendices, distribution log rigor, and “need-to-know” minimization while preserving auditability.\
11.8.5 **Leak response coordination.** PoC5 includes ability to coordinate leak response within governance lanes: watermark drill activation, containment, access resets, correction/takedown records, and recipient reconciliation where applicable.\
11.8.6 **Misrepresentation response competence.** PoC5 includes competence to handle badge misuse, false endorsement claims, and role-marker abuse through record-valid takedown and public clarification protocols.\
11.8.7 **Privileges unlocked.** PoC5 unlocks authority to (i) place safety holds, (ii) require safety review routing, (iii) elevate handling lanes per rule, and (iv) trigger emergency governance mode, all within time-boxed, reason-coded, appealable constraints.

***

#### 11.9 PoC Assessments, Evidence Requirements, and Standards

11.9.1 **Evidence types.** PoC assessments may include artifact portfolios, replication evidence, review performance logs, scenario-based tests, drill participation records, moderation simulations, and controlled dissemination exercises for higher levels.\
11.9.2 **Assessment governance.** Assessments are governed by record-valid rubrics, calibration requirements, and reviewer rotation. High-level PoC (PoC4–PoC5) requires independent moderation and multi-helix oversight.\
11.9.3 **Accessibility and multilingual accommodations.** Assessments must provide reasonable accommodations without reducing integrity; translated assessments must preserve meaning and version parity.\
11.9.4 **Fraud/cheat detection and enforcement.** Anti-fraud controls include anomaly checks, sybil detection, rotation defenses, and evidence audits. Confirmed fraud triggers clawbacks, revocations, and sanctions per ladder.\
11.9.5 **Third-party evidence intake.** External evidence may be accepted only as bounded input; it cannot substitute for platform evidence objects required for PoC privilege gating.

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#### 11.10 Renewal, Expiry, and Continuous Competence (Clocks Are Mandatory)

11.10.1 **Renewal periods by level.** PoC levels have mandatory renewal periods, with higher levels typically renewing more frequently. Renewal periods are set by record and include default clocks plus change-based triggers.\
11.10.2 **Material change triggers.** Material changes (schema changes, handling rule updates, critical rubric revisions, major incident learnings) trigger refresh requirements for impacted PoC levels.\
11.10.3 **Lapse effects.** Lapse results in privilege downgrade after grace windows; reactivation requires re-attestation and, where needed, re-assessment. Lapse does not terminate baseline membership.\
11.10.4 **Incident-triggered refresh.** Certain incidents (handling breach, leak indicators, repeated unsafe releases) trigger mandatory refresh or temporary suspension for affected roles and levels, recorded with reason codes.\
11.10.5 **Portability impacts.** Portability of PoC across Guilds is constrained by renewal status; expired levels cannot be exported as active; downgrades propagate to dependent role markers and trust surfaces by record.

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#### 11.11 PoC Governance, Rulemaking, and Change Control (No Silent Edits)

11.11.1 **Authority and precedence.** PoC is governed by this Constitution, the handling code, and platform terms; stricter rules control; inconsistencies are resolved by safeguard-first precedence.\
11.11.2 **Stewardship Committee invariants.** The Stewardship Committee maintains PoC integrity baselines, safety-critical rules, stop-the-line mechanics, and anti-capture controls; it may impose emergency holds subject to expiry and ratification.\
11.11.3 **Domain Councils.** Domain Councils define domain PoC tasks and specialization modules within non-derogable safeguards and handling constraints.\
11.11.4 **GA/Trustees escalation triggers.** Changes that materially affect rights, privacy posture, access eligibility, or create capture risk escalate to GA/Trustees oversight per reserved powers and safeguard-critical thresholds.\
11.11.5 **Supersession protocol.** All PoC rule and rubric changes require supersession with diffs, effective dates, member notices, and contestation windows where designated; no stealth amendments.

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#### 11.12 Due Process, Appeals, and Remedies (PoC Outcomes)

11.12.1 **Denial reasons and evidence basis.** Denials must be reason-coded with minimum evidence basis (failed rubric thresholds, handling violations, COI refusal, fraud indicators, lawful constraints), recorded with privacy minimization.\
11.12.2 **Appeals lane.** Members may appeal within defined timelines; appeals use reviewer rotation, independent reviewer options for higher-stakes outcomes, and protected participation.\
11.12.3 **Remediation plans.** Remediation provides training prescriptions, supervised practice options, and re-test windows; remediation is non-punitive by default unless misconduct is established.\
11.12.4 **Misconduct linkage.** Conduct and handling breaches may trigger PoC revocation or downgrade; repeated or severe breaches trigger sanctions ladder actions; every action is record-valid and correctionable.\
11.12.5 **Disclosure posture.** Outcomes are disclosed in public-safe form by default; controlled details (e.g., incident specifics) remain minimized, with identity protection unless lawful necessity requires otherwise.

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#### 11.13 Security, Handling, and Data Protection for PoC

11.13.1 **Handling election for PoC evidence.** PoC evidence artifacts are handling-classed; higher-level assessments often require Controlled or Restricted handling with distribution logs and access audits.\
11.13.2 **Distribution logging for controlled PoC materials.** Where controlled assessment materials are shared, distribution logs are mandatory, including expiry and revocation tracking.\
11.13.3 **Identity minimization options.** PoC may be evidenced via role-marker competence proofs; verified identity is optional except where required for restricted roles, abuse prevention, or lawful constraints.\
11.13.4 **Access control and audit logs.** PoC assessment systems require MFA, least-privilege access, audit logs, and anomaly detection; elevated assessors must meet higher security baselines.\
11.13.5 **Retention and minimization.** Retention is limited to integrity and dispute resolution needs; deletion/de-identification options apply within record-integrity and lawful constraints.

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#### 11.14 Interoperability and Cross-Ecosystem Boundaries (Nexus Integration)

11.14.1 **Cross-Guild roaming with PoC.** PoC supports roaming privileges across Labs/Guilds under lead-Guild anchoring and equivalent-or-stronger handling rules, with rotation integrity and anti-gaming controls.\
11.14.2 **Cross-platform use within GCRI Nexus Platforms.** PoC applies across GCRI’s membership platforms (clinics, journals, campaigns, registry) as a consistent privilege-gating layer, always recorded by platform acts.\
11.14.3 **Boundary to execution stacks.** PoC confers no authority in any execution stack (banking, insurance, markets, custody, underwriting, settlement). Any attempt to represent PoC as execution authorization is misrepresentation.\
11.14.4 **External referencing constraints.** External references to PoC must include non-equivalence language, scope/expiry status, and prohibition on “certified by GCRI” claims.

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#### 11.15 Disclaimers and Liability Boundaries (PoC-Specific)

11.15.1 **Not licensure; not compliance certification; not operational authorization.** PoC is a platform privilege-gating signal only and does not certify compliance, competence for regulated functions, or operational fitness.\
11.15.2 **As-is; limitation of liability.** PoC assessments and materials are provided “as is,” with liability limited as permitted by law; reliance bounds govern any usage of PoC signals.\
11.15.3 **Member responsibility.** Members remain solely responsible for lawful conduct, professional duties, and decisions made using any learning or evidence outputs; PoC does not shift responsibility.\
11.15.4 **Reiteration of baseline safeguards.** Non-employment, non-agency, non-partisanship, procurement neutrality, handling survival obligations, and non-misrepresentation duties apply to all PoC levels and all associated role markers.


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